On 9/20/06, Henrik Theiling <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I'm not sure whether this is what you are looking for, but German and
> Dutch frequently drop the main verb if an auxiliary is present.
[snip examples]
What I thought of when reading those examples was
Ich muss mal!
I must <part>!
"mal" is a particle that literally means "once", but I'm not sure
whether or how to translate it here.
At any rate, it's a very common euphemism (used especially by
children) for "I have to go to the toilet".
Occasionally, it's expanded, a common pattern being
Ich muss mal für kleine Mädchen/für kleine Jungs.
I must <part> for little girls/for little boys.
"I have to go to the toilet." (used by women/men)
A rather jocular form, I think -- but also without an explicit main verb.
Cheers,
--
Philip Newton <[log in to unmask]>